1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless networks. More particularly, it relates to improved security apparatus and techniques for wireless networks, particularly piconet type networks such as a BLUETOOTH™ conforming piconet network.
2. Background
Conventional secured networks have been wired networks physically connecting a plurality of network devices. Such networks are conventionally secured with authorization of one or more passwords input by a user of a particular network device.
A wired network connection affords a reasonable level of security in that the user must be inside a building to connect to the network. However, when expanding a network to include wireless connectivity, wireless connections to the network do not inherently have the same physical restrictions to access that wired connections do.
Piconet networks, or small, short range wireless networks, are being formed by more and more devices in many homes and offices. In particular, a popular piconet standard is commonly referred to as a BLUETOOTH™ piconet. Piconet technology in general, and BLUETOOTH technology in particular, provides peer-to-peer communications over short distances.
The wireless frequency of piconets may be 2.4 GHz as per BLUETOOTH standards, and/or typically have a 30 to 300 foot range. The piconet RF transmitter may operate in common frequencies which do not necessarily require a license from the regulating government authorities, e.g., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. Alternatively, the wireless communication can be accomplished with infrared (IR) transmitters and receivers, but this is less preferable because of the directional and visual problems often associated with IR systems.
A plurality of piconet networks may be interconnected through a scatternet connection, in accordance with BLUETOOTH protocols. BLUETOOTH network technology may be utilized to implement a piconet wireless network connection (including scatternet). The BLUETOOTH standard for piconet wireless networks is well known, and is available from many sources, e.g., from the web site www.bluetooth.com.
Short range wireless connections such as those offered by piconets in general, and BLUETOOTH conforming piconets in particular, while having many advantages provided by wireless connectivity, also inherently have distinct disadvantages from wired connections. For instance, a person just outside the building, but still in range of the short range wireless network (e.g., 802.11, BLUETOOTH etc.) could gain access to an internal wireless server from outside the building but still within the range of the short range wireless network.
FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary secured building 510 including a network of exemplary wireless devices 500, 502, with connectivity access inadvertently provided to an unauthorized wireless device 504.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, an exemplary short range wireless network is established within the confines a building 510. In the given example, wireless connectivity is established between an entering wireless device, e.g., BLUETOOTH piconet device 502, or 802.11b compliant device, whereupon a password entered by a user of the entering wireless device 502 is authorized by a piconet security server 500. However, in the given example, an unauthorized wireless device 504 lurks outside the secured building, but within the short range of at least one wireless network device within the building, unbeknownst to the wireless network administrator. Unfortunately, while the unauthorized wireless device 504 may still be required to input a properly authorized password to allow access to resources on the wireless network, a first layer of security has already been breached by allowing the unauthorized wireless device 504 the ability to receive wireless transmissions in the short range wireless network.
In such a scenario, since connectivity access to the secured network may be obtained from a location outside of the secured building, the network security relies entirely on the password strategies for the particular network. However, this may be problematic in certain higher security applications because access may be gained external to the secured building using, e.g., stolen access codes.
Previous attempts to provide security to wired network devices included dial up access techniques using one or more passwords or even constantly changing passwords to prevent unauthorized access. However, dial up access techniques do not address specific challenges of wireless access to secure servers. Moreover, dial up security solutions in a wireless world would require all users inside the secured building to go through excessive security steps which simply add layers of password type strategies.
There is a need for an apparatus and technique which allows wireless devices, and in particular wireless BLUETOOTH piconet devices, to be implemented in secure environments allowing secure communications which prevent unauthorized communications within range of the piconet devices.